It's been a long time...

I know it's been a long time since I posted.  Like, since I announced that I was having twins.  Things have been a tad busy since then, and everything else has kinda fallen off my radar.  So I will update as best as I can, without being long winded...

Well, I am officially 26 weeks.  :)  Also the size of a barn with my own gravatational pull!  The twins are doing wonderfully, and we now know that we are having a boy and a girl.  :D We are super thrilled that we are having one of each, and can't wait to meet them!  I especially can't wait for them to get here, as this pregnancy has been very difficult for me.   Ever since my 12 week appointment, I have been seeing both my regular OB and high risk OB every two weeks, a cardiologist every four weeks (but now I don't have to see the cardiologist anymore), and my regular GP doctor whenever I have an illness unrelated to the pregnancy. They are making sure that the surgeries haven't affected how well my cervix is holding up, that my heart is holding up for the three of us, checking me to with tests for preterm labor, and also watching the growth of the twins.  While sometimes it feels like I am always in a doctor's office, it's actually nice to be so closely monitored and lucky that I get to see my babies on the ultrasound so often.  :) 

Hubby's trip to China went great, and he had a wonderful time.  I, however, had a rough go of things, as morning sickness did not take a break while he was gone.  Trying to care for a super active toddler and being sick--it was a horrible combination.  Not to mention it was during the holiday season, when I was also trying to get up the decorations and plan for Christmas happening at my house.  Thankfully he got to come home a few days early, and I have never been happier to see someone in my life!  It made for a great Christmas.

 

 

The new year came and went, with me being super tired, and the doctors saying that Z needed to start going to school more often since I couldn't lift or chase after him like I used to.  I have been closely monitored by four doctors with this pregnancy; there is concern since I have had two surgeries for cervical cancer in the last two years.  I have been "resting" for a huge chunk of the pregnancy, and I have been quite surprised just how exhausting that can be!  Still, I haven't been officially put on bedrest, so I am happy with the current arrangement.  :)  I was not too happy with having to put munchkin in school five days a week (but only for half-days, I couldn't quite let go of the afternoons with him--I miss him too much!!).  He, however, is doing just fine with it, as he gets to go and play with his friends and run around and be crazy.  :) 

 

In February, munchkin turned the big 2! I had wanted to throw him a big party like I did last year, but I was way too tired and couldn't do something that I knew would stress me beyond all means.  This was also the case for hubby's 40th birthday, which fell at the end of February (but I'll get to that).  So for little one's big birthday bash, the grandparents, us, and Z all loaded up into our new minivan (now a necessity, seeing as we will have three kiddos in carseats under the age of 3) and drove north to a zoo that had been recommended by friends.  We had a great time--I rode in a wheelchair and Z in his stroller, and the family just wandered around looking at the different animals.  :)  Z loved it, as he loves naming the different animals and the sounds they make.  After the zoo we went to Outback Steakhouse (they have a great GF menu), and the birthday boy got his own brownie sundae.  :)

 

 

 

Hubby's birthday was even more low-key, as just the two of us went to a little bed and breakfast we went to for my birthday last year.  We had planned to go to Fredericksburg and wander around the shops, but my wandering days were over by then.  To top it off, both of us had sinus infections and colds, so our "big night away" consisted of us lying in bed with a box of Kleenex between us, watching movies and playing video games.  Yep, we were living it up!! It was nice to have a night away, but we were almost too miserable to enjoy it.

 

At my 21 week mark, I decided I wanted to have some maternity pictures taken, just in case I was unable to later in the pregnancy. Two sisters in my local mommy group had just decided to start a photography business, and I decided to give them a try.  I had wanted to do the pictures at the 20 week mark, but we had scheduling issues...you know how things go.  But I was pleased with how the pictures turned out, even though Z was doing his best not to cooperate!

 



 

Life otherwise has been relatively...normal-ish.  I continue to try to cook and do as much as I can, but it's getting harder and harder.  I was in the hospital for false labor two weeks ago, a scare that I don't want to repeat.  For that I was given muscle relaxers, and those tend to make me even more tired than I already am! And while I am extremely grateful to be able to have these two sweet (extremely strong) babies, I am more than ready to be done. Only 8-12 weeks left to go, and I am counting down!  I am hoping that I will be more vigilant about writing here, but I can't make any guarantees.  Just not as long between posts, I promise!  For now...I'm off to take a nap before munchkin comes home.  :)  Until the next time...

 

 



Mud Factor 2012

A few months ago, Groupon offered a great deal of a bit over half off to participate in a 5K mud obstacle race called "Mud Factor."  It looked AWESOME, and like it would be tons of fun, so I convinced not only my hubby to sign up, but my dad signed up with us, too.  :)  I was so excited!

A lot happens in a few months time, however.  Unfortunately for this race, my cancer surgery disqualified me from participating this year.  Dad and hubby were not too excited about it starting a week before, as a cold front was going to push through our area the day before and drop the temps from the 80s down to the 50s.  Not a fun thing when it is cold and you have to slog through mud.  We all decided that we were still going to go, and Dad and hubby were going to brave the elements.  Then fate butted in again and hubby had to stay home to take care of our little boy, who unfortunately is in the throes of a nasty stomach bug (that, of course, began at 1:15am).  It was down to me and my dad, and he was having second thoughts. 

We arrived just as the temperature reached a brisk 50 degrees--Dad refused to race if it was below that (and I don't blame him--the wind was frigid!!).  We paid for our parking--something that I think was unnecessary--and then made the LONG hike to the check-in tent.  Despite me not racing, I still had to sign my waiver to get my bandana and t-shirt (but I did manage to get hubby's shirt without the waiver).  Then came a long wait.  So we milled about, and Dad decided he wanted to run in the heat before the one we registered for.  Unfortunately, that was brought to a halt when we figured out that each heat had a designated color on the bib.  Ours was pink, meaning the 11am heat.  Still, a great color--especially for this month!!  :)

As soon as they were letting people in for the 11am heat, Dad ran to the front.  He looked so excited--it was hard not to be excited with him!

Dad and I before the race

Dad waving before they began

Contdown complete, off they go!

I love my dad--he can be goofy!!  Coming around the first corner!

End of the race--going down the slide!

It was a long slide...

Soaking wet out of the pond, Dad still smiling!

Yay!!  He did it!!  25 minutes, 30 seconds!

 

 

It turned out to be a lot of fun--for both of us--despite the chilly air.  I hope that I can run in the next one!!  I don't want to miss out!! 

 

Congrats, Dad!!  You are amazing!!

Bumpy Road

It's amazing to me how many times I think I have things in life figured out, only to have it all change on a whim.

There were a lot of things that happened during my pregnancy that people weren't aware of.  Mostly I kept them to myself (or between me and D) because I was miserable and in pain, and more bad things just seemed to be overkill.  I had hoped that my pregnancy was going to be happy and healthy and I would glow like all those other women.  That just didn't happen.  I gained a ton of weight, I was constantly hurting (misdiagnosis of arthritis had me drugged, too), and could barely walk.  Nothing like I pictured.

During that time, like everyone else, I had regular check-ups.  One of the tests mid-pregnancy came back positive for cervical cancer.  Obviously there was nothing we could do at the time, so we waited until I had had Z and healed, and then three months later had gone in to take care of it.  We had decided on spot treating it, burning the areas that had were positive for the cells.  If that didn't work, we had decided to do surgery.  After another test coming back still positive, surgery seemed to be the next step.  However, I had a staph infection that had to heal first (from the hospital, go figure).

On a whim, the day of the consultation to schedule the surgery, I asked to be tested one last time to see if perhaps the spot treatment had maybe taken and maybe it had just needed time.  Tested...and it was clear.  No cancer!!  I was thrilled and over the moon--and for the first time, told people about all of this going on.  Scheduled an appointment for a check up six months out.

The six month mark was a few weeks ago.  I had a bad feeling about it.  Why?  Things weren't exactly working like they were supposed to, and it seemed to be a precursor to bad news.  I had told the doctor that I was worried that it was happening again, but she said that she didn't see anything and that it was most likely me stressing.  She would run the test, but told me to try not to worry.  She called me a few days later, on Friday.  I knew it was bad news--she's closed on Fridays. 

She said that I had been right, that it was back.  Three options--spot treatment again, surgery, or a referral to an oncologist that specialized in OB GYN.  I asked her what she would do--she said the surgery.  I agreed.  I didn't want the first option since it didn't work originally.  I didn't want the third option for two reasons: one, I didn't know how long it would take to get an appointment with a doctor with that specialty; and two, I didn't want to have to get to know another doctor--who knows what kind of a personality they would have and if I would like them.  So the second option really was the best for me.  Unfortunately since the office was technically closed, her surgery scheduler wasn't there and I had to wait the weekend to call back and get scheduled. 

Monday arrived, and the anxiety began to set in.  I wanted this over with as soon as possible, and I managed to get scheduled for surgery three days later.  So last Thursday I checked in the hospital around 8:45a.  I went back to my room and got changed into the very fashionable paper gown...which was SO hot (and I mean hot in temperature, not in looks!!).  I did manage to snag a pic of me modeling this trend:

 

 

Surgery was at 11a.  I had to send D home to get me some snacking food, as the hospital didn't have any GF options for me other than Jell-o (and I wasn't willing to take any chances).  After waking up from sedation (just a side note--the nurses and the anesthesiologist/anesthesiologist nurse were all AMAZING, and even sent me a get well soon card) (another side note: I know they send the card to everyone, but it did make me smile), I was there another hour or so wake up, eat, and then head out.  So I was home by 2pm, just in time for my mom to get there with Z from his day at school.  And I was so happy to see my little boy.  :)

 

Now I'm in another waiting game.  I find out the results from the surgery tomorrow.  They are going to analyze all the stuff they took, and let me know what they find.  We have plans in place for whatever the results are, and they will go into place soon after I recover.  But that's a different post, and not one I am quite ready to share yet.  ;-)  For now, I am just going to hope that everything I just went through worked and that bad news is not on the horizion.  I'm ready for good news! 

 



While I'm waiting and resting, I'll be surfing Pinterest, and testing out some pins for future holiday gifts.  That and preparing for my in-laws moving here this weekend!  They finally have 'bit the bullet' and purchased a home here in our neighborhood, and will be making the trek down here from Colorado this Friday.  I'm so excited for them to get down here an finally get to spend the time they have been wanting to spend with Z!